Eating more corn, lentils, peas, beans and other legumes can reduce the risk of developing bowel cancer, Australian researchers have found.

These foods are high in resistant starch, a type of fiber that cannot be digested and instead passes through to the bowel where it is fermented.

The recommended daily intake of resistant starch is about 0.7 ounces (20 grams) — equivalent to three cups of cooked lentils — almost four times more than the amount consumed in a typical Western diet.